To Foxtrot Tango

[Phil B]

Since the original thread has been landmined to ####, here's something a bit more constructive for Foxtrot Tango.

"A helmet and a jacket" is *not* sufficient protection. particularly in crazy SoCal.
(btw welcome to the jungle bro

you need:

A jacket WITH elbow pads and back armor
A set of riding pants WITH knee armor (and ideally hip/butt protection as well)
A solid set of proper riding boots
A good set of riding gloves

I had a good jacket, but only half-adequate pants, and riding "shoes", but not full boots.
After 6 months, I am ALMOST over the tendon injury that put me on crutches for 2 weeks. I had official MC shoes, but they did not have the rigidity of full boots that would have protected my achilles tendon more.
  (At least they protected my anklebone from being ground down, though)
i lost a chunk of flesh out of my knee. The flesh grew back. But the chip out of my kneecap aint coming back.

Yeah, this can be a lot of money. But save up your money, and maybe buy used.

Consider this:
I got my damage, going around 40mph.
Think about what might happen to you if you had an incident at LA freeway speeds, without proper gear.

[XealotX]

MSF course and any additional riding instruction you can get. Assume every car on the road is being driven by this lady...

[codajastal]

Since the original thread has been landmined to ####, here's something a bit more constructive for Foxtrot Tango.

"A helmet and a jacket" is *not* sufficient protection. particularly in crazy SoCal.
(btw welcome to the jungle bro

you need:

A jacket WITH elbow pads and back armor
A set of riding pants WITH knee armor (and ideally hip/butt protection as well)
A solid set of proper riding boots
A good set of riding gloves

I had a good jacket, but only half-adequate pants, and riding "shoes", but not full boots.
After 6 months, I am ALMOST over the tendon injury that put me on crutches for 2 weeks. I had official MC shoes, but they did not have the rigidity of full boots that would have protected my achilles tendon more.
  (At least they protected my anklebone from being ground down, though)
i lost a chunk of flesh out of my knee. The flesh grew back. But the chip out of my kneecap aint coming back.

Yeah, this can be a lot of money. But save up your money, and maybe buy used.

Consider this:
I got my damage, going around 40mph.
Think about what might happen to you if you had an incident at LA freeway speeds, without proper gear.

Extremely well said. Bravo

[shonole]

MSF course and any additional riding instruction you can get. Assume every car on the road is being driven by this lady...

She's pretty cute. 

[Worm]

That might be the last thought you have as she grinds you into the pavement just so she can text "LOL" to her girlfriend!

[shonole]

That might be the last thought you have as she grinds you into the pavement just so she can text "LOL" to her girlfriend!

Maybe she'll feel bad and come see me in the hospital!   

[Toogoofy317]

After my incident the total cost for not wearing my boots was $2,000 for the ER, walking boot and ankle brace $600, and PT $300 a session at 2X's a week for 3 months.

I bet I could have bought the best gear that money could buy with the injury costs! Not to mention I re-injured my ankle in Dec and because of the previous injury what would have been an aggravation has turned into two months of more dr. appointments and 3 cortisone shots  and I'm still having pain.

Some things you can't put money on like fully functioning joints!

Mary

[Kijona]

MSF course and any additional riding instruction you can get. Assume every car on the road is being driven by this lady...

Man...that picture...

It just makes me cringe.

[Foxtrot Tango]

I just came back from work -- why is my thread at 5 pages?

I hate it when that happens.

Anyway, my writing style was only semi-lucid due to sleep deprivation. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough: I do intend on full gear. I have an armored leather jacket and plan to buy:

-Icon (gloves, helmet, boots)
-Rev'it (600D overpants for legs)
-Alpinestars (CE Back/chest protectors)

Because of the somewhat casual dress code at work, we have a lot of people riding there, so I have some good friends who've given me tips and pointers on gear. And as a recent trip to the hospital after an accidental cut with a steak knife taught me --- gear is expensive, but ER bills are far worse.

[Phil B]

Err... non-motorcyle related post:
individual health coverage for a 20 year old male runs only about $100 a month, or maybe even less, at a large place such as kaiser permenente.

(or at least it used to..)
but anyways, that would have made your ER visit comparatively cheap.

kaiser does have its faults... but I find it a reasonable tradeoff between price and coverage.

[Toogoofy317]

Before investing in all of the gear. I'd do the MSF course first! You might decide you actually aren't a motorcyclist then you've got $1000 worth of gear to get rid of!

BTW have I mentioned boots are important LOL!

Mary

[xunedeinx]

in any place like socal, NYC, Tampa, Orlando, Chicago, or elsewhere equally filled with moron drivers, there is nothing as enough protection.

You can put you bike in a padded boxtruck, with sirens blaring, and still be hit.

Be prepared to get rammed and dress for the occasion, dont lie to yourself and think it wont happen. It will. Prepare for it and it wont be as bad.

[rayshon]

Once I get enough money I'm eventually going to buy a 2 piece A* leather suit.

50% for the protection it offers, 50% because it looks so damn cool.

[numus]

Once I get enough money I'm eventually going to buy a 2 piece A* leather suit.

50% for the protection it offers, 50% because it looks so damn cool.

-20% In Florida you would probably boil.

[xunedeinx]

Once I get enough money I'm eventually going to buy a 2 piece A* leather suit.

50% for the protection it offers, 50% because it looks so damn cool.

-20% In Florida you would probably boil.

You do (I do) boil.

Id rather boil, than be shredded on pavement beneath a semi that wasn't paying attention

[SAFE-T]

I'd rather be thinking about what the traffic around me is doing than thinking about how uncomfortably hot and sweaty I was in a full-leather roadracing suit on the street.